Virgin America in-flight entertainment goes HD, Virgin Atlantic next?

Virgin America has turned to Lufthansa System's BoardConnect technology for the next generation of its Red in-flight entertainment system. It includes HD seat-back displays, an MP3 jukebox containing 3,000 tracks, live satellite TV, and "Talk", and an instant messaging service that allows passengers to chat to each other without leaving their seats.

Launching in 2012, the new entertainment platform also features full Wi-Fi connectivity, a controller with a full QWERTY keyboard, and an on-demand menu so that passengers can order food during a flight. Plus, it offers connectivity to personal devices.

The system is being tested from this month on an Virgin America Airbus A320 named #nerdbird, and leads us to wonder if Virgin Atlantic may consider adopting it if it's well received.

However, the international carrier fitted a new Panasonic system in its Airbus A330-300 aircraft, which took to the skies for the first time in April this year. And it was revealed that platform was being fitted to all 10 Airbus A330s in the fleet over the next 2 years.

It offers touchscreen control, and is described as a tablet-like experience. Also, passengers in Premium Economy get a controller with a mini touchscreen that can both select action for the main display, or even run some applications independently to the seat back monitor, such as in-flight maps.

Let's hope there are plans to retrofit older aircraft with one system or the other. And before CES in Vegas.

Who's got the best in-flight entertainment? Let us know in the comments below...

Our senior ed of news and features has been a tech and games journalist for more than 27 years, and has been with Pocket-lint for over five. Rik has edited a number of videogame magazines in the past, was deputy editor of Home Cinema Choice, and his TV career included stints as co-presenter of Channel 4's Gamesmaster and Sky One’s Games World.